Month: May 2017

The Ascension of Christ into heaven is such a wonderful feast day as we see our humanity taken up into eternity and the gates of heaven open to us. As Christ came down from heaven and took on our humanity so today he takes that redeemed humanity back to the Father. He now sits “at the right hand of the Father” where he intercedes for us. So we also see that Christ’s priesthood continues even in heaven as he intercedes for suffering humanity here on earth. And there is much suffering and much interceding as the events of this week testify to.

It is the letter to the Hebrews in the Bible that really tries to get to grips with this amazing belief – that Christ is our eternal priest – always interceding and always with the Father on behalf of us. It is a priests “job”, or better, life, to pray for others – as an Anglican Archbishop once put it – “to come before the Lord with the people on his heart.” And so we see that our human priesthood – people like me and, now, Roy, have a role which is to be “Christlike” in the sense of continuing that work of intercession and sacrifice which is Christ’s own offering to the Father.
As I write this on Friday I have no idea what Bishop Richard has in mind for Fr Roy, but, whatever it is, it will be to pray for Christ’s people, to offer the sacrifice of the Mass, to celebrate the other sacraments of Christ on behalf of the people and to become a living “image” of Christ – or an ikon. This all sounds rather grand I know, but it is a way of saying that a priest’s life is to “make present” the Christ who is alive in the Church – the Body of Christ and to help God’s people recognise those “presences” by which Jesus is always present to his people. To do this every priest has to do a remarkable thing which is to forget self to some extent and allow Christ to shine “through” whilst at the same time use his God given gifts to good effect in shepherding, in guarding, in encouraging and above all, as St Paul tells us in his Letter to the Corinthians, in loving. Jesus was many things, but one thing he was above all was the actual embodiment of God’s love for us. Out of his poverty every priest must choose each day to love God’s people – that is fairly straightforward in some people and more difficult in others. But at its heart all ministry in the Church is done out of love – love of God and God’s love through that minister. As I finish this I am reminded that this can all sound as though we still think of priests as “doing all this” on our behalf whilst lesser mortals (i.e.. Lay people) are not expected to see their lives in this way – but that would be wrong. The ordained priest is there to help all believers exercise their own priesthood as a people “set apart to sing the praise of God as we heard last week at mass. With my love, your priest
Fr David

Please note the office will be closed week beginning 29th May and will reopen week beginning 5th June.

Someone very kindly left me two presents by the front door as there was no card nor a name I do not know who left them, and I cannot thank them. Please call me my Tel No. is 01483 273370 or Yolandaj1@gmx .com It is not my birthday I do not know what I have done to deserve them. With love and Thanks Yolanda

The Lenten Talents Money are due to be returned over the Pentecost Weekend. If you would like your talents to be advertised please email the office. Envelopes with donations can be returned to the office at any time.

Giovanni raised a wonderful £178 by making lasagne and selling it to you. Thank you for supporting Giovanni.

The Secular Franciscan Order will be leading Morning Prayer at 10.00am in St Thomas More Bramley on Saturday 27th May. Everyone is welcome to join and for coffee afterwards.

“Our family (Gulyas) would like to multiply the talent money by making authentic Hungarian goulash to sell to the members of the parish community. If you would like to pre-order please let us know by the 25th May 2017 on the following ways: gulyaspisti@gmail.com, or 07590 832572 (Melinda Gulyas).
1 portion cost £2.99

2 portions: £5

The food can be collected after the morning mass in Bramley (10 am), after the mass in Cranleigh (12 pm) on the 28th May 2017. If you are unable to attend on Sunday the food can be home delivered on the 28th May 2017.

All of the collected money will be distributed back to the parish community.”

PARISH LUNCH – TUESDAY MAY 30th at Bramley following the 11:30 Mass. The usual good homemade fare will be on offer for a donation. Please let Bridget or Felicity know if you are coming as we need to plan quantities.
There will also be sign up sheets at the back of Bramley Church. If you are coming from Cranleigh please let Felicity (273083) know and especially if you would like a lift.

TRAVELLING TRENDS FASHION SHOW Do you need a few new separates to liven up your wardrobe? Would you like them at Bargain Prices? Come along to this Parish event and enjoy an evening of fashion and fun! This is your chance to see, try on, and buy this season’s fashions at greatly reduced prices, and help to raise funds for the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room. The event will start from 7.15pm on Monday 12th June at the St Cuthbert Mayne School. Tickets are £6.00 which include a drink and nibbles and tickets can be bought from the Parish Office or Georgie Nel or Susanna Page. This hopes to be a lively fun evening with a Tombola and two opportunities for stalls to be purchased.

27th May 7pm Father Roy’s Mass Reception

Following Father Roys first Vigil Mass in Cranleigh all are invited into the school hall for a celebration reception.

All are invited.

The next CAMEO event will take place at the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room on Tuesday 30th May at 7.30pm. This will be an evening of sharing memories and reminiscing. Katherine Bergin and Veronica Motchman will be hosting and invite you along to have an evening of refreshments and good stories.

ST CUTHBERT MAYNE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL has school places available for September 2017, including Reception places. If you are considering applying for a place and would like to arrange a tour of the school then please contact the school office on 01483 274961 or email on info@stcuthbert-mayne.surrey.sch.uk.

The next over 50’s coffee mornings will take place next on Tuesday 30th May at 10.30am. This is open to anyone in the Cranleigh Community so please invite your neighbours or friends if you feel they would like to come along.

Prayers for Manchester Bombing Victims

Bishop Richard Moth has asked for parishes in the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton to especially remember in prayer at Masses this weekend the victims and families of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Bishop Richard was shocked and horrified on hearing of the recent bombings in Manchester and joined with the local Bishop, Rt Rev John Arnold and Pope Francis in offering prayers and concern for all those affected. He said: “Please pray for the victims and their families at this time.”

Bishop Richard is confident that the people of Manchester for whatever race or faith will stand together in unity in the face of this barbaric attack.

At this time we are also called to remember all victims of violence across the world wherever they occur.

You are invited to a SERVICE OF RENEWAL AND HEALING Wednesday June 7th 8.00-9.00pm (silent adoration from 7.30) at the Church of St Joan of Arc, Tilford Road, Farnham.

Come and pray for healing of weak faith and renewal of confidence in the Holy Spirit. With praise, Scripture, meditation and personal prayer ministry for healing of spirit, emotions, memory, mind and body. All are welcome.

If you take a look at the calendar above you will notice that we have two great celebrations before us this week. The first, this Saturday, of the First Holy Communions of our young Yr 3 children and a few who have undertaken their preparation at a slightly older age. Our joy is all for them and our hope is that their reception of this great sacrament will help them to grow, each day, to be more like Jesus, our Lord and Master. To do this they will need the witness and example of other Christians who, amidst the challenges and celebrations of this life, seek to place Jesus at the heart of their lives as a foundation and an inspiration for, not only what they do, but what they say and how they think. Yes, our faith is meant to take deep root in us until we can say, with St Paul “If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.” We “become” the Lord’s by our faith and through his promise. It is faith in Jesus that allows us to “recognise him in the breaking of bread.” It is the promise of the Lord’s that He will be with us “until the end of time” that strengthens our faith in His real presence in the Eucharist – the means of His being with us in the Church and through the grace of the sacraments nourishing that “hidden” life within each of us.

To become a priest of the Church is the fruit of recognising that call of Christ from within us and from within the Church to “feed my lambs, feed my sheep.” It is a deeply personal and powerful call, which is the fruit of much prayer and from the experience of Christ within and among His people the Church. Christ calls all to “Come, follow me” and to those called to be priests he adds a charism of service and of charity to the universal call to holiness which all His people possess. Deacon Roy will be a new person by the end of this week (God willing!) as, renewed by a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, he becomes a priest of the Universal Church celebrating the sacraments of Christ’s love for His people. The Church has recognised this “calling” within him and, through the Bishop, will give Roy the necessary gifts of the Spirit to enable him to fulfil that ministry of love and service to Christ’s people. The principle and most visible signs of this new authority and power are in the ability to celebrate the Eucharist and to hear the confessions of Christ’s people assuring them of His living presence and healing grace in their lives. Next weekend will be Roy’s first mass – a time of the greatest joy for a new priest – and so too for us as we, with him, as God’s “Holy nation, royal priesthood, and people set apart to sing the praises of God” lift our hearts, minds, and voices in praise and prayer for the mighty works of God. Please join me and the whole parish in these extraordinary moments of joy – the first communions of our young children for whom we have such hope, and for Roy as he becomes a priest of the Church and instrument of God’s grace and as he, for us, celebrates the first of many Eucharists bringing us the living presence of Christ to heal, nourish, strengthen, and invigorate our lives.

With my love, your priest Fr David

Congratulations to the May 300 Club winners

M Emslie, J Federer and JD Carroll.

The Beer Tasting evening was a huge success and there was a tidy sum of money made by Matthew Emms and lots of fella type ideas for the next fella’s gatherings. Feedback was that a lot of the men in our Parish Community did not know about this event. If you think you, or someone you know, are not receiving communications about events please email your details to the Parish Office.

Handmade French Memo boards £10 and cushions £5 will be sold by Charlotte Hunter after Cranleigh Mass on 21st May.

The Secular Franciscan Order will be leading Morning Prayer at 10.00am in St Thomas More Bramley on Saturday 27th May. Everyone is welcome to join and for coffee afterwards.

“Our family (Gulyas) would like to multiply the talent money by making authentic Hungarian goulash to sell to the members of the parish community. If you would like to pre-order please let us know by the 25th May 2017 on the following ways: gulyaspisti@gmail.com, or 07590 832572 (Melinda Gulyas).
1 portion cost £2.99

2 portions: £5

The food can be collected after the morning mass in Bramley (10 am), after the mass in Cranleigh (12 pm) on the 28th May 2017. If you are unable to attend on Sunday the food can be home delivered on the 28th May 2017.

All of the collected money will be distributed back to the parish community.”

The Itinerary for the coaches going to Deacon Roys Ordination in Arundel on Friday 26th May has been sent to the majority of people who signed up to be on a coach. If you signed up and have not heard please contact the office with your contact details. For information the coaches leave Jesus Christ Redeemer of Mankind [NO spare seats] and St Thomas More [9 spare seats] at 5pm on Friday 26th May. The Cranleigh coach is at capacity so please don’t try to get on if you haven’t signed up or made contact with the office.

PARISH LUNCH – TUESDAY MAY 30th at Bramley following the 11:30 Mass. The usual good homemade fare will be on offer for a donation. Please let Bridget or Felicity know if you are coming as we need to plan quantities.
There will also be sign up sheets at the back of Bramley Church. If you are coming from Cranleigh please let Felicity (273083) know and especially if you would like a lift.

TRAVELLING TRENDS FASHION SHOW Do you need a few new separates to liven up your wardrobe? Would you like them at Bargain Prices? Come along to this Parish event and enjoy an evening of fashion and fun! This is your chance to see, try on, and buy this season’s fashions at greatly reduced prices, and help to raise funds for the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room. The event will start from 7.15pm on Monday 12th June at the St Cuthbert Mayne School. Tickets are £6.00 which include a drink and nibbles and tickets can be bought from the Parish Office or Georgie Nel or Susanna Page. This hopes to be a lively fun evening with a Tombola and two opportunities for stalls to be purchased.

27th May 7pm Father Roy’s Mass Reception

Following Father Roys first Vigil Mass in Cranleigh all are invited into the school hall for a celebration reception. There are sign up sheets for food in both porches. Please let us know you will attend, sign up to provide a specified dish and please bring a bottle to enjoy with Father Roy and everyone else. All are invited.

PARISH OUTING
CORPUS CHRISTI CARPET OF FLOWERS

AT ARUNDEL CATHEDRAL

Wednesday 14th June
Coach leaves RC Church at Cranleigh at 10.30am
Cost £10 for coach, to be paid in advance

Lifts from Bramley to the coach in Cranleigh are available, please sign the list in the porch in Bramley or contact Bridget Eacott

Interest in this event has been not enough to go ahead yet. Please let us know if you are interested in joining this outing.

The next CAMEO event will take place at the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room on Tuesday 30th May at 7.30pm. This will be an evening of sharing memories and reminiscing. Katherine Bergin and Veronica Motchman will be hosting and invite you along to have an evening of refreshments and good stories.

ST CUTHBERT MAYNE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL has school places available for September 2017, including Reception places. If you are considering applying for a place and would like to arrange a tour of the school then please contact the school office on 01483 274961 or email on info@stcuthbert-mayn.surrey.sch.uk.

The next over 50’s coffee mornings will take place next on Tuesday 30th May at 10.30am. This is open to anyone in the Cranleigh Community so please invite your neighbours or friends if you feel they would like to come along.

REGINA CAELI

Throughout Eastertide
before 6pm Mass and at end of 11am mass
the Regina Caeli is sung

Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen

GENERAL ELECTION QUESTION TIME

Sponsored by
Churches Together in Cranleigh

WHEN: May 22nd 2017 7.30pm—9.00pm

WHERE: Cranleigh Baptist Church, High Street, Cranleigh

FREE ENTRY AT THE DOOR

Questions must be submitted in advance to either Cranleigh Baptist Church or Cranleigh Arts Centre

Closing date for questions

Friday 19th May

All the candidates for the Guildford seat will be present to answer your questions FOR MORE INFORMATION 01483 271000

Further Election information from CAFOD and Caritas Social Action Network ….”This election campaign is being dominated by the issues of Brexit and immigration. But there are other issues which some would think were more important and which are in danger of being ignored – unless we, the electorate, make a point of raising them. CAFOD and Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) have produced a joint briefing on four questions that they would like to raise. This could be when candidates or canvassers knock on your door or at hustings meetings. The issues are: global poverty and aid, climate change and care for creation, Britain’s role in the world, and building strong communities in the UK. The briefing can be downloaded here http://www.csan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Our-Common-Future_-General-Election-questions-2017.pdf

I have 4 to give away ……..all for charity!……. Pretty good seats Middle, West Stand, M8

Suggested donations – currently retailing on ticket sites for £75+ but if we got £20+ per ticket that would be great? Mike Creak via the Parish Office

Dear All,

Only a few days now to our next concert – “Bramley Music Rising Stars” – the Elysian Piano Trio – Saturday 20th May at 7pm in Holy Trinity Church. Make it a Bramley day – VillageFête between 12 and 4pm, then concert in the evening!

To remind you, we have teamed up with the Royal College of Music with a view to providing their young graduates (the “rising stars”!) with performance opportunities, and if things go well this could be an annual feature of our concert series. We are delighted that for the first of these we shall hear the Elysian Piano Trio. They are award winning musicians Emily Sun (violin), Jane Lindsay (cello) and Jennifer Hughes (piano). As successful musicians in their own right, their combined solo and chamber concerts have seen them perform throughout the UK and across Europe, Australia and the USA. Collectively, their recent London appearances have included performances at venues including the Wigmore Hall, Purcell Room, the Royal Albert Hall’s Elgar Room, Cadogan Hall, St John’s Smith Square, St James Piccadilly and the Royal Festival Hall. Emily has also just won the 2017 Bromsgrove International Musicians Competition – see http://www.rcm.ac.uk/about/news/all/2017-04-12successforemily.aspx .

As for their programme, it is very attractive and enables them to perform in various combinations:

Haydn – Gypsy Trio

Schumann – Fantasiestucke op 73 (cello & piano)

Kreisler – Syncopation, Kreisler – Tambourin Chinois (violin & piano)

Handel/Halvorsen – Passacaglia (violin & cello)

INTERVAL

Brahms – Trio in B major op 8

If you are not familiar with some of these works, then you most definitely should come, as you are bound to like them!

The charity we are supporting this time is The Orpheus Centre. Founded by Sir Richard Stilgoe, it is Surrey based and provides supported housing and a diverse curriculum of performing arts, independence, functional and life skills to over 40 young disabled adults each year – see http://www.orpheus.org.uk .

Tickets are £10 (£5 students and under 18s) and are available in advance from Robertsons in Bramley High Street. You can alternatively reserve tickets via me (email, or ‘phone 01483 892645), and they will also be available at the door. With a free glass of wine or soft drink in the interval, internationally renowned musicians in a superb acoustic, and the knowledge that you are supporting a worthy cause, you will be hard pressed to find better value elsewhere!

And finally a date for your diary – Saturday 8th July at 7pm, when the Harlequin Chamber Choir (which perhaps I should warn you includes me as a second bass!) brings you a varied programme entitled “My Spirit Sang All Day”.

Do pass this email on to anyone you think might enjoy our concerts, and I look forward to seeing you, and all those you can persuade to come with you, this coming Saturday. Best wishes, Stuart

There is a Special Collection next Sunday for The Catholic Communications Network

Dear Brothers and Sisters

You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, …, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. – so writes St Peter in his first Epistle which is our second reading at mass today. Its that little bit “set apart” that drew my attention. It begs some questions – set apart – from what? To do what?

Well ~Peter sort of answers the second question for us – we are a people set apart to “sing the praises of God who called us…” To sing praises! It’s amazing when we think about it – St Peter thinks that we have been chosen and set apart; made into a royal priesthood (i.e. a priesthood reserved for royal duties rather than for just any old person) to sing the praises of God.

This is, in reality, what we call worship. Worship is derived from the old English worth-ship – that is to give worth to something. When we worship we are saying in effect that it is God who has the ultimate “worth:” in our eyes. It is He who is the focus of my life and it is to him that I draw my reason for living and purpose in life. If you have been to our Catholicism series you would have heard Fr Barron say that “we become what we worship.”

You can see what is implied here. In worshipping God – Father Son and Holy Spirit we are focussing our lives on them in order to participate in their life. So worship draws us inexorably into the Divine life of God the Holy Trinity and we, ever so little by little, start to emulate what we find there. We find holiness of course and so we are drawn beyond the limits and bounds of our “mere” humanity into the Divine. We find love there because “where love is, there is God.” We find self-sacrifice too as each member of the Trinity seeks not their own advantage and primacy but the glory of the Father with the Son in the Holy Spirit. The supreme example of this sacrifice is the self-emptying and self sacrifice of Jesus who “gave himself up for us all.”

When we worship we necessarily go “outside ourselves” too. We give value to something, or in our case someone, who becomes the centre of my life and my goal. In worship I reach out for the God who, like the Father in the famous story, has already reached out to me and come towards me. So in worship we find our true home and acceptance of the “me” that is “me.”

But there are other things that can receive our worship and, dare I say it – probably do from each of us. We can be tempted to worship, that is, give value, to things that don’t lead us to life and light but which leave us in the darkness – things such as power, wealth, youthfulness, beauty, popularity can all be worshipped and as such they become false Gods distracting us from our true vocation. Vocation, the word, come from vocare in Latin, which means – to call, to name to invoke. St Peter believes it is God who has called us – out of darkness into the “wonderful” light of Christ to be a “people” who know they are chosen but who are never vain about it but grateful – which is the starting point of all worship.
With my love, your priest
Fr David

Don’t forget Dinahs House Clearance Sale Sunday 14th May in Parish room after Mass . Many items on offer including a photocopier , an ice cream maker , a gents sheepskin coat , kitchen paraphernalia and 2 standard fuschias . There will also be a chance to make a sealed bid for a new Weber gas BBQ (cost £270). Items will not be priced but will be donations only and proceeds will all go to Pokot . Every penny will go to help educate and feed the blessed children of Pokot

Care Group Meeting will be held on Friday 19th May at 2pm in the Parish Room at Cranleigh. Please contact Jane Harding if you are unable to attend, 01483 274018.

PARISH LUNCH – TUESDAY MAY 30th at Bramley following the 11:30 Mass. The usual good homemade fare will be on offer for a donation. Please let me know if you are coming as we need to plan quantities. Ann Smith 07795608823 or ann_smith22@hotmail.com
There will also be sign up sheets at the back of Bramley Church. If you are coming from Cranleigh please let Felicity (273083) know and especially if you would like a lift.

TRAVELLING TRENDS FASHION SHOW Do you need a few new separates to liven up your wardrobe? Would you like them at Bargain Prices? Come along to this Parish event and enjoy an evening of fashion and fun! This is your chance to see, try on, and buy this season’s fashions at greatly reduced prices, and help to raise funds for the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room. The event will start from 7.15pm on Monday 12th June at the St Cuthbert Mayne School. Tickets are £6.00 which include a drink and nibbles and tickets can be bought from the Parish Office or Georgie Nel or Susanna Page. This hopes to be a lively fun evening with a Tombola and two opportunities for stalls to be purchased.

27th May 7pm Father Roy’s Mass Reception Following Father Roys first Vigil Mass in Cranleigh all are invited into the school hall for a celebration reception. There are sign up sheets for food in both porches. Please let us know you will attend, sign up to provide a specified dish and please bring a bottle to enjoy with Father Roy and everyone else. All are invited.

PARISH OUTING CORPUS CHRISTI CARPET OF FLOWERS AT ARUNDEL CATHEDRAL

Wednesday 14th June
Coach leaves RC Church at Cranleigh at 10.30am
Cost £10 for coach, to be paid in advance

Lifts from Bramley to the coach in Cranleigh are available, please sign the list in the porch in Bramleyor contact Bridget Eacott

Interest in this event has been not enough to go ahead yet. Please let us know if you are interested in joining this outing.

Spend a day aboard a 31ft Sailing Boat based in Chichester harbour and just make a donation to the talents fund in return. (Whatever you feel is appropriate).

Please contact Pat Scully on 07796016696 or 01483277913, or email patscully@tiscali.co.uk if you think it is for you.

The next CAMEO event will take place at the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room on Tuesday 30th May at 7.30pm. This will be an evening of sharing memories and reminiscing. Katherine Bergin and Veronica Motchman will be hosting and invite you along to have an evening of refreshments and good stories.

ST CUTHBERT MAYNE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL has school places available for September 2017, including Reception places. If you are considering applying for a place and would like to arrange a tour of the school then please contact the school office on 01483 274961 or email on info@stcuthbert-mayn.surrey.sch.uk.

Jesus Christ Redeemer of Mankind – The ditch running alongside the Ewhurst Road has some broken glass in it and we would caution parents of children to be careful around this area. The school is aware and is putting the same notice into their newsletter.

Louise Gilbey and her Grandma will be selling Tomato Plants on Sunday 14. May, at Bramley Church after the 9am Bramley Mass and later at Cranleigh Church after the 11.30am Mass there. Please come and buy and support our Parish. With Thanks. Corinne.

Please ring Giovanni on 274744 in order to collect your lasagne.

REGINA CAELI

Throughout Eastertide
before 6pm Mass and at end of 11am mass
the Regina Caeli is sung

Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen

“PARKING FOR FIRST COMMUNION MASS : More marshals are needed – please contact David Penson who would appreciate help from 09.45 onwards. davidpenson@hotmail.co.uk or 271102″

GENERAL ELECTION QUESTION TIME

Sponsored by Churches Together in Cranleigh

WHEN: May 22nd 2017 7.30pm—9.00pm

WHERE: Cranleigh Baptist Church, High Street, Cranleigh

FREE ENTRY AT THE DOOR

Questions must be submitted in advance to either Cranleigh Baptist Church or Cranleigh Arts Centre

Closing date for questions is Friday 19th May

All the candidates for the Guildford seat will be present to answer your questions. FOR MORE INFORMATION 01483 271000

Further Election information from CAFOD and Caritas Social Action Network ….”This election campaign is being dominated by the issues of Brexit and immigration. But there are other issues which some would think were more important and which are in danger of being ignored – unless we, the electorate, make a point of raising them. CAFOD and Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN) have produced a joint briefing on four questions that they would like to raise. This could be when candidates or canvassers knock on your door or at hustings meetings. The issues are: global poverty and aid, climate change and care for creation, Britain’s role in the world, and building strong communities in the UK. The briefing can be downloaded here http://www.csan.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Our-Common-Future_-General-Election-questions-2017.pdf

Pokot News

I received the following message from Fr Sean McGovern at the Rotu Mission.

“Great to hear your having some good sunny days. Here we have had some rain but very patchy.
But it is around and more in the offing we trust. April was a ‘washout’ in that there was no rain worth talking of. May started well but as I said the long rains have not really come yet, but people are preparing gardens which is a good sign. I often wonder if they are wise but I wouldn’t discourage them. No grass yet by a long shot, but water is more plentiful.
I have got a quotation from the Water people for the proposed borehole but I’m not yet in a position to get started. There are so many things to attend to daily. The church building is ongoing. The effects of the drought will be with us for some time. We do daily feeding programmes. I had the old and infirm today. They are always so grateful its almost embarrassing. The children’s breakfast is on going and such a great help, thanks to the Pound a Week Group. Have you heard that Fr David has not been well. He got pneumonia and was in hospital for a few days. He’s back in Barpello and much better but that knocks the stuffing out of you. I will meet him on Monday.
Security situation in Pokot is very bad. Pokots shot dead and three police yesterday. We are relatively safe in this backwoods but travel in and out is a serious hazard. Do keep us in the prayers. God bless for now. Sean”

Please contact me on 01483-893379 or emacgivern@btinternet.com or visit the Parish website if you would like to know more about the Pound a Week Group and the Pokot projects we support. Eugene McGivern

We are delighted to invite you to our very first concert. The Wintershall Choir is a community choir that meets on the Wintershall Estate, famous for its exhilarating biblical plays. To launch the choir we have chosen a broad range of light-hearted songs—sacred songs and musical hits are interspersed with beautiful Taize ‘rounds’ (the Taize community is a multi-denominational Christian community in Burgundy, France, which attracts pilgrims from across the globe). We will be teaching you a Taize song too!

The concert is free, with a donation for refreshments. Parking is available at the Grafham Rooms just down the road from the church.

There is a Special Collection this Sunday for The Education of Future Priests (Gift Aid)

Dear Brothers and Sisters
This weekend we are keeping “Good Shepherd Sunday” – and if you are listening to the readings attentively, and to the Bishop dutifully, you can’t help but pick up the strong theme of shepherding. Traditionally it is our Bishops who are the Shepherds – which is one of the reasons that their main symbol, and one which distinguishes them from ordinary priests, is that they carry a shepherd’s crook – or a crozier as it is commonly known. The metaphor of shepherd and sheep is one that goes a long way back in the relationship of God with his people. “Like sheep they had all gone astray” is a line from scripture which tells of humanities waywardness but also of the process by which God cares for, and looks after, his people. “The Lord is my Shepherd there is nothing I shall want” is a famous line from the 22nd psalm – full of hope and faith that God is by our side, his “crook and staff” a comfort in times of distress and trouble.
The implication from scripture and from tradition is that we need looking after! Left on our own we do “err and stray” but God has provided shepherds to shepherd for him – Bishops and priests. There seems to be no shortage of bishops but there is an acute shortage of shepherds on the ground – priests. The strain and stress for many of us tells in poor health, mental problems, anxiety and over work. This in turn impacts our ability to respond properly and faithfully to the very real needs of our flocks. How we respond to this is usually an individual thing – but proper holidays, time each day away from the phone and email, a dedication to prayer and friendships are important aspects of being a priest in the 21st century.
The ideal thing of course would be to have more priests but there is also another way and this is a way that can prove fruitful however many priests there may be. Lay ministry. That is to say – YOU reading this! The Second Vatican Council emphasised the universal call to holiness of all God’s people. This does not mean that everyone should become diocesan priests but it does mean that everyone has a vocation and some have a vocation to become priests. The vast majority do not however. But that does not stop you having, or sharing in ministry. Take Jane Harding, our parish Lay Pastoral Assistant. She carries out a great many of the roles that priests can do in caring for us. Many others of you already share to some extent in the pastoral care of the parish. You do it as lay people which is not second best to priests – but is a natural expression of each of us being members of the Body of Christ. We do need priests – you need priests to celebrate the sacraments and to teach, admonish and encourage. There are people who could offer themselves for this. But we should not think that it is priests alone who keep the flock of Christ healthy and together – it is everyone.

With my love, your priest
Fr David

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

Sunday 7th May 10am Bramley – Plant Sale

Friday 12th May 7.30pm Beer Tasting

Sunday 14th May Midday Cake Sale after Mass

Wednesday 17th May 7.30pm Fundraising Meeting

Friday 19th May 2pm Care Group Meeting

Friday 26th May 7pm –Dcn Roys Ordination

Tuesday 30th May 12pm Bramley Parish Lunch

7.30pm CAMEO

Monday 12th June 7.15pm Fashion and Fun

Wednesday 14th June Arundel Cathedral Outing

1st and 2nd July Parish Camping Event

SALE OF COSMOS PLANTS – After Mass at Bramley on the 7th May, this Sunday, I will be selling pots of cosmos plants as part of the Talents scheme: £3 per pot for six or seven plants.
They will need to be in a protected environment for a few weeks, then hardened off for a few days outside before planting out towards the end of May. They flower through from June until the first frosts and are very attractive border plants with their delicate foliage. About 15 pots in all, so don’t miss the chance! Pat O’Brien

House Clearance Sale Sunday 14th May in Parish room after Mass . Many items on offer including a photocopier , an ice cream maker , a gents sheepskin coat , kitchen paraphernalia and 2 standard fuschias . There will also be a chance to make a sealed bid for a new Weber gas BBQ (cost £270). Items will not be priced but will be donations only and proceeds will all go to Pokot .

Beer Tasting Evening – Please contact Matthew Emms to buy your tickets to this event which will take place at Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room on Friday 12th May. Tickets are £20 each.

Care Group Meeting will be held on Friday 19th May at 2pm in the parish room at Cranleigh. Please contact Jane Harding if you are unable to attend, 01483 274018.

PARISH LUNCH – TUESDAY MAY 30th at Bramley following the 11:30 Mass. The usual good homemade fare will be on offer for a donation. Please let me know if you are coming as we need to plan quantities. Ann Smith 07795608823 or ann_smith22@hotmail.com
There will also be sign up sheets at the back of Bramley Church. If you are coming from Cranleigh please let Felicity know and especially if you would like a lift.

TRAVELLING TRENDS FASHION SHOW Do you need a few new separates to liven up your wardrobe? Would you like them at Bargain Prices? Come along to this Parish event and enjoy an evening of fashion and fun! This is your chance to see, try on, and buy this season’s fashions at greatly reduced prices, and help to raise funds for the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room. The event will start from 7.15pm on Monday 12th June at the St Cuthbert Mayne School. Tickets are £6.00 which include a drink and nibbles and tickets can be bought from the Parish Office or Georgie Nel or Susanna Page. This hopes to be a lively fun evening with a Tombola and two opportunities for stalls to be purchased.

Parish Outing
CORPUS CHRISTI CARPET OF FLOWERS AT ARUNDEL CATHEDRAL

Wednesday 14th June
Coach leaves RC Church at Cranleigh at 10.30am
Cost £10 for coach, to be paid in advance

Lifts from Bramley to the coach in Cranleigh are available, please sign the list in the porch in Bramley or contact Bridget Eacott

Spend a day aboard a 31foot sailing boat based in Chichester harbour and just make a donation to the talents fund in return. (Whatever you feel is appropriate).

I can take three people approx but this can be a bit flexible depending on whether its all adults or a combination of adults and children. You can confine your day to the confines of Chichester harbour where you can sail in relatively flat water or if you want to be more adventurous you can sail The Solent nearby. Your food will be provided and you can choose what you would like to eat.

Please contact Pat Scully on 07796016696 or 01483277913, or email patscully@tiscali.co.uk if you think it is for you.

We are currently in need of a volunteer driver or drivers to help bring some of our senior citizens to mass, either for Sunday 1100am or Saturday 1800 as we have lost one of our drivers. At the moment it would involve collecting up to three ladies from Elmbridge Village and taking them to the mass of the drivers choice as the ladies are very flexible. This would be once every four weeks at most depending on how many volunteers we have. Please contact Pat Scully on 01483 277913 or 07796016696, or email – patscully@tiscali.co.uk if you would be happy to carry out this task. Many thanks, Pat.

CAMEO is a group open to all ladies in the Parish. It hosts an event about once a month and you can come along to as many or as few as you like. If you need a lift, just contact the event organiser. We do hope to see you there soon.

The next event will take place at the Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room on Tuesday 30th May at 7.30pm. This will be an evening of sharing memories and reminiscing. Katherine Bergin and Veronica Motchman will be hosting and invite you along to have an evening of refreshments and good stories.

T he Ordination will take place on Friday 26th May at 7pm in the Cathedral Church of Our Lady and St Philip Howard, Arundel.

Fr Roy will celebrate his first masses with the parish on Saturday evening of the 27th at Cranleigh followed by a parish reception and at Bramley at 9am on the Sunday morning followed by a little party as well. I hope as many of you as possible will attend and support Roy in this new and exciting ministry of service to the Church.

The updated Coach Lists are now at the back of both churches, please check your name is on the correct list and please forward your £10 per seat to the Parish Office asap. As the coaches are nearly at capacity the lists will be closed after this weekend and full details about pick ups from Cranleigh and Bramley will be detailed closer to the time.

LOURDES 2017

Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage – If you were inspired by Katie’s wonderful talk about the benefits of joining the pilgrimage to Lourdes, now is the time to apply to join!

Go to ABlourdes.org to apply on line or call 01403740110 to request an application form.

ENCOUNTER (FOR 18-30s) – The organising team are delighted that so many young Catholics from the area have been coming to the Guildford ENCOUNTER evenings recently. They offer such a great chance for people to deepen their faith and make some new friends! The next ENCOUNTER will be on Sunday 21st (7.15pm at St Joseph’s Church, Guildford) and the guest speaker will be Sarah Wells from CAFOD, one of the main speakers at Flame 2017 in March!! As ever, there will be food, live music, adoration, and friendly people!! New people are always welcome. For more info, search ‘ENCOUNTER Crawley’ on Facebook.

ST CUTHBERT MAYNE CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL has school places available for September 2017, including Reception places. If you are considering applying for a place and would like to arrange a tour of the school then please contact the school office on 01483 274961 or email on info@stcuthbert-mayn.surrey.sch.uk.

Understanding CAFOD Afternoon

You are invited to come and find out about CAFOD’s work overseas and how we are trying to end poverty on Saturday 1st July at English Martyrs’ Church Hall Horley RH6 8AR from 2:30- 4:30pm. Cakes and tea will be provided so please let us know if you would like to come (for catering purposes) by emailing arundelandbrighton@cafod.org.uk or calling Martin or Jo at the Arundel and Brighton CAFOD volunteer centre 01483 898866.

REGINA CAELI

Throughout Eastertide
before 6pm Mass and at end of 11am mass
the Regina Caeli is sung

Let us pray: O God, who by the Resurrection of Thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, granted joy to the whole world: grant we beseech Thee, that through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, His Mother, we may lay hold of the joys of eternal life. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen